Toki Wright & Big Cats unveil bold new sound

In the midst of a Midwest tour that brings them Thursday to House of Rock in Eau Claire (with Dessa) and Friday to the Triple Rock in Minneapolis, local hip-hop vets Toki Wright and Big Cats dropped a freaky new track this week that shows off the more psychedelic, neo-soul- and electronic-styled music they’ve been making together over the past year. Titled “Echinacea,” the song finds Wright riffing in a mild but semi-manic tone on the herbal pill of the same name – and our hope for self-improvement in general -- while Big Cats (Spencer Wirth-Davis) lays down an eerie, hypnotic groove.

“Enchinacea” is the first track issued off Wright’s and Big Cat’s upcoming album, “Pangaea.” They debuted more tracks along with a new live format on Atmosphere’s Welcome to MN Tour in late February. Lydia Liza of Bomba de Luz sings backup at the shows, and Eric Mayson of Crunchy Kids is featured on keys. K. Raydio and Shiro Dame -- featuring Sarah White of Traditional Methods -- will also perform at Friday’s Triple Rock show (10 p.m., $10, tickets on sale here). They have shows spread around Wisconsin, Iowa and North Dakota in the coming weeks leading up to set at the Soundset festival in Shakopee on May 25.